A/N: Yes, even though Naraku is dead, there's still a little bit of the story to go…and now, THE HUMOUNGOUSLY FLUFFY CHAPTERS!

Chapter 23: I Love You, Now and Forever

Inuyasha sat next to Kagome, who was lying on a futon in Kaede's hut. It had been two days since they had defeated Naraku, and Inuyasha had carried her back to the village as fast as he could. She was still unconscious, and Inuyasha was starting to get worried.

"Shouldn't she be waking up by now?" he asked Kaede.

The old miko sighed. "Inuyasha, she used a great deal of power and energy in order to summon and use the shikon no tama. It's a miracle it didn't kill her. I don't know when she'll be waking up."

"But when do you expect her to wake up?"

"Well, I'd expect anywhere from today to three days. Ye have to understand Inuyasha, Kagome is human. And these things are harder for a human. It may be a little while longer until she regains consciousness."

Inuyasha looked back down at Kagome and held on to her hand. Please Kagome…wake up soon…But, there's something else, I just have to ask…

"I heard the well might close if the shikon no tama was destroyed. Is that true?"

Kaede looked surprised at Inuyasha asking this question. "It is true. From what I could gather, the well that links Kagome's world to ours only works because of the shikon no tama that was inside her body. It allowed her to pass through the well. Even if she did not have the shikon no tama on her, the presence of it would let her go back to her time."

"Then…how come I could get through?" Inuyasha asked.

"Well…my guess would be because ye hearts were destined to be entwined. As ye saw at the cave, those feelings can overrule even the most powerful magic. That is the reason ye were the only other person allowed through the well."

"Oh…" he looked back down at Kagome. Because our hearts were destined to be entwined…that means that fate is what made this happen?

"And now that the shikon no tama is gone from this world, the well has nothing to supply its power. If I am correct, Kagome can never return to her time."

The hanyou sighed. Kagome knew this might happen…yet…she chose me above staying in her home…I still don't quite understand why…but now, she's all alone. I can't let her be like that…I'll always be there, for her…

"Inuyasha…?"

"Huh?" He looked down; Kagome had her eyes slightly open. "Kagome!"

Kaede turned around and grabbed a wet cloth, and she placed it on her head. "How are ye, Kagome?"

"I…feel sick…" she moaned.

Inuyasha touched her cheek. "Kagome, I'm so glad you're all right!"

"Wait," she said, turning her head to look at him. "Where are we? Where's Naraku?"

He smiled. "Naraku's gone, Kagome. It's over. We're back in the village."

Kagome gave a tiny smile. "Naraku's gone…It's over…" She closed her eyes again.

"Kagome? Kagome!"

"Calm yeself, Inuyasha." Kaede said. "Like I said, she used a lot of energy. She has just fallen asleep. But the fact that she woke up for a little bit shows that she is getting better. Why don't you go outside, I'll take care of her."

Reluctantly, Inuyasha nodded and walked out of the hut, taking one last look at the sleeping Kagome.

The minute he walked outside, Miroku, Sango, and Shippou jumped away from the window where they had been listening. "What are you doing?" Inuyasha asked, forming a fist.

"Why, we were just checking to se if Kagome-sama was alright." Miroku said.

"I don't buy that." Inuyasha replied.

"Well…then…May I ask what are you planning to do?" The lecherous monk asked with a grin,

"What? To you?"

"No, what are you planning to do about you and Kagome-chan?" Sango said.

"We all heard ya in the cave." Shippou said. "There's no point in hiding it any more."

Inuyasha turned bright red. "Well…I…"

Miroku put his arm around him. "Come, Inuyasha, let's talk man to man."

"Yeah…?" he asked, clearly annoyed.

"How far have you gotten with Kagome-sama at this point? Have you two had—"

Miroku was cut off with a fist colliding with his head. "Lecherous monk." Inuyasha growled.

Sango sighed. "I'll do it. Now, Inuyasha, all we want to ask is are you planning on continuing on with Kagome-chan?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"We mean, are you planning on asking Kagome-sama to—" This time the monk was cut off by Sango's hand backslapping him.

"Miroku, shut up, okay?"

Inuyasha sighed. "Well…I guess…I'd been planning on…asking Kagome to be my…ma…ma…well, you get the idea!" He yelled to an extremely pleased monk.

"I knew it." Miroku replied. "You did want to ask her to—"

"What's Inuyasha talking about?" Shippou interrupted.

"Let me explain it, Shippou my lad, you see, when a man and a woman deeply love each other, they—"

Sango hit him again. "He's too young!" She looked back at Inuyasha. "Well, that's a…well…its forward…"

Miroku rubbed the bump on his head. "Yes, a tad bit forward…"

"Look who's talking, Mr. 'Please bear my child'!" Sango yelled. "Inuyasha, why don't you do it the human way?"

"Huh?" He asked.

"Why don't you ask Kagome-sama to marry you?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha stared. "Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-WHAT?"

Sango grinned. "Of course! If you ask Kagome-chan that, she'll be thrilled!"

The hanyou pondered this. True…after all…Kagome is human, and I'm pretty sure that humans don't exactly understand the idea of mates…but, would Kagome accept if I asked her?

"Inuyasha?" Kagome walked out of the hut.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha immediately grabbed her and hugged her. "You're all right!"

Kaede followed. "Yes. She just woke up and I gave her some medicine. She'll be back to normal in no time."

When he put her down, he noticed that Miroku, Sango and Shippou were all grinning. If they say anything, they're dead!

"What are you guys grinning at?" Kagome asked.

"Nothing. We're just glad you're better." Sango lied.

Kagome sighed. "Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you mind if I take a walk for a little bit, by myself?"

By herself? What's she going to…I'd better come with her, but if I do, that monk will probably say something about it… "No. Go on." Inuyasha said.

Kagome walked away, towards the forest.

Inuyasha watched her, but then he noticed that the kitsune and the two humans were grinning crazier than ever.

"Well?" Miroku asked.

Must not kill monk before he gets married…Must not kill monk before he gets married… "ALL RIGHT, FINE, I'LL GO AFTER HER, HAPPY!" And he followed her trail.

Miroku turned to Sango. "You know, if we go quietly, we can—"

She dragged him away by his ear. "You've done enough eavesdropping for one day, Miroku."

Kagome finally got out of the woods and looked upon the Bone-Eater's Well. She walked up to it and looked down at the dirt far below. I know Kaede said it might be closed, I know I expected this to happen, but I have to know…

She sighed, and jumped over the side.

She landed on the dirt, but felt nothing. She looked up, and saw the sky. She was still in the Sengoku Jidai. The well had closed.

She felt a tear well up in her eye. Well, what did I expect? I knew there was a chance it would close, and I chose Inuyasha…but…She wiped the tear away. It was the world I was born in…the world that I lived in for 15 years…until I came here…

She stood up, and crawled up a vine up to the top of the well. Once she was on solid ground, she leaned on the well and looked inside. She stopped a sniffle. I don't mind staying here, with Inuyasha…and Sango, Miroku, Shippou…I'll miss Mama…Souta, Jii-chan…Yuka-chan, Ayumi-chan, Eri-chan, Houjou-kun…but it seems like I'm closer to everyone here then there now…

Kagome closed her eyes, keeping the sadness in. "Still…I'm going to miss it…"

"Of course you are." Inuyasha said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Kagome didn't turn to him. "At least I was able to say goodbye."

"Uh-huh…" She nodded. "But…I wonder what I'm going to do now?"

"What do you mean? You're going to stay in the village aren't you?"

I don't know if I can…That history book…I didn't die, I didn't go back to my world…That leaves… "I think I know what I'm going to do."

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

She stood up, still looking into the well. "I'll become a traveling miko. I mean, Miroku and Sango are getting married, and I don't know what you're going to do now, but I don't want you to have to keep looking after me, when no one wants me around—"

Inuyasha grabbed her, turned her around and kissed her. He held her to his chest. "No one wants you around? Are you nuts? I want you around. Kagome, I told you I love you. That doesn't mean 'I love you this second' or 'I love you today'. That means 'I love you, now and forever.'"

She buried her head in his haori. "Inuyasha…"

He ran his fingers through her hair. "I know its going to be hard, leaving them. But I'll always be right here. I'll never leave you."

Kagome looked up at him, with watery eyes, but she shed no more tears. He bent down and kissed her slowly, proving to her his love. When their lips parted, she sighed, a small smile on her lips.

Inuyasha also smiled, and he grabbed her and picked her up.

"Hey! What are you doing?" She asked.

Inuyasha grinned. "Come on, there's some place I want to go."

He ran back into the woods and before Kagome knew it, they were standing in front of Goshinboku.

"Goshinboku?" She asked.

"Uh-huh." Inuyasha jumped onto the lowest branch and set her down upon it. "Remember, we met here a year ago."

Kagome smiled, leaning against his chest. "Yeah, over a year, you certainly have improved."

"Same to you."

She laughed. "So, is this all you wanted to say?"

"No." he said. "What I wanted to ask is…well, I like being with you. And…you like being with me, right?"

"Inuyasha, I would have made it quite clear if I didn't want to be with you."

He smiled. "So…I wanted to know…If I like being with you…and you like being with me…then why don't we stay like this?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean…Kagome…will you…will you marry me?"

She gasped. Inuyasha…just asked me to marry him? Inuyasha? Can I marry Inuyasha? But…I'm so young…but…I love him! I want to spend the rest of my life with him! "Yes."

He was surprised. "Y-Yes?"

She grinned. "Yes!"

He also smiled. "Yes…"

"Yes! YES! Inuyasha, YES!"

Then he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her like never before. It was Kagome that had made him this happy. Kagome, the girl he had hated, then became his friend, then to the one he loved, and soon, would be his wife.

Kagome, I love you, now and forever…

A/N: YAY! FLUFFIES! WOOOOOO! Anyway, Next chapter is the WEDDING! WHEEEE! I LOVE ALL THIS FLUFF!